Being an indie game developer, especially a new one, is full of challenges. From deciding which language or which game engine would be best for developing your game, to learning a new vocabulary and plotting out your development strategy.
Indie Game Developer Challenges
The learning curve can sometimes seem daunting.
When you add meeting the challenges of daily life (i.e. professional and personal obligations) to meeting the challenges of creating a new game, it can be overwhelming. As a result, your indie game developer dreams sometimes fade into the background. But that’s actually okay, as long as your game ideas are still visible and you keep moving toward your finish line.
The Indie Back Burner
Putting your game on the back-burner from time to time can be good. It seems counter-intuitive, but it actually allows you to come back to your game with fresh ideas and new programming skills. Fill in that absence from developing your game with exposure to the field itself.
Some Game Exposure Examples:
- You only have fifteen minutes of “free time” to commit to your game today? Watch a short video tutorial, read forum comments regarding a problem you encountered, sketch or write out an idea, or listen to a podcast!
- Did you manage to reserve thirty minutes for actual game development today? Focus on making one small change or addition to your game.
- Got an hour to spare, but aren’t in the mood to write code? Join the Youngstown Game Developers (or your local game developer network) at a Meetup and get inspired!
List of Indie Game Developer Mental Break Ideas:
- Watch a Tutorial
- Read a Forum, like Reddit
- Make a Tutorial
- Write a Story
- Write a Blog Post
- Listen to a Podcast
- Meditate
- Watch a Movie
- Attend a Meetup
- Chat on Social Media
Now that you’re brain is fresh again, you can come back to your game with new ideas and focus.
Small Step Are Good
Consistently taking small steps towards your game prevents your game from fading too far into the background. It keeps you actively engaged in your game and brings your dreams closer to reality. So get to it!
15 Minutes of Work Examples: Indie Game Developer
- Watch a Short Video Tutorial
- Watch another Dev Vlog
- Read a Dev Blog
- Read Forum Comments
- Sketch a Quick Concept
- Write Out an Idea
- Listen to a Podcast
30 Minutes of Work Examples: Indie Dev
- Update a Game Script
- Add a Few Elements to a Level
- Watch a Tutorial
- Work on an Animation
- Work on a Blog Post
1 Hour of Work Examples: Game Dev
- Attend a Game Industry Meetup Group
- Research Your Fans
- Program a Character
- Finish a Concept You Started
- Record a Dev Vlog
- Get Lost in Reddit Forums
Focus Your Indie Game Developer Energy
Consistently taking small steps towards your game prevents your game from fading too far into the background. It keeps you actively engaged in your game and brings your dreams closer to reality. Remember, staying mentally healthy is just as important as being physically healthy. And, your mental health is what you need to stay focused on your game. Try out some of these tactics and get your indie game developer mojo going!
What kind of tactic do you use to stay on track of your game development without losing focus?